The President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Tonobok Okowa, as well as the Chairman of the Lagos State Athletics Association (LAA), Solomon Alao, are both optimistic ahead of the Lagos Open Athletics Championship today.
Among other things, the one-day athletics meet billed for the Teslim Balogun Stadium will afford Team Nigeria another chance to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics relay events having failed in the bid at the National trials held at Yaba College of Technology’s Sporting Complex at the weekend.
Okowa and Alao told journalists in Lagos yesterday that the athletes are all in high spirits and a conducive environment to aid the qualification to Tokyo has been put in place at the Lagos Open Athletics Championship
“We are trying to support our athletes and give them the enabling environment to qualify for the Olympics.
“If they fail to achieve that now, that means we might have to wait for another four years. Nigeria deserves to be in the relay events at the Olympics and that’s what we are trying to achieve,” The Lagos State Athletics Association boss observed.
On his part, the AFN president assured stakeholders that the athletes are well motivated to deliver on the required qualifying times for the Olympics at the Lagos meet even as he enjoined for the support of all.
“We already have a good pep talk with the athletes and we are doing our best to make them ready. I am sure that the athletes are in good spirits, ready and I pray we get the qualifications needed. We want everyone to come around to cheer the team to victory
“We need to encourage our athletes and not talk them down. We need everyone to work together as a team so as to achieve victory,” Okowa pleaded.
Yussuf Ali, who is the Meet Director for the Lagos Open Athletics Championship assured all of a seamless organisation
“We felt they failed to get the time at the National Trials after they exhausted themselves in their individual events. We are optimistic they are well-rested now and good to go for another shot at qualifying for the Olympics,” observed the former Team Nigeria captain who also holds the national long jump record for over two decades.
Apart from the relay events, the list of events to be competed for at the Lagos Open Athletics Championship includes the 5,000 meters, 400 meters hurdles, 100 meters, 800 meters, 400 meters, and 100 meters among others.